Widely Attended Gathering (WAG) Requests

Updated on March 3, 2025

Widely Attended Gatherings (WAG) Questionnaire 

Important: After you click on "Submit", scroll to the BOTTOM of the page. If you see an asterisk*, you need to go back through the form and answer the questions that *requires information to process. 

Use this form for Widely Attended Gatherings (WAG) from Non-Federal Entities  

A Widely Attended Gathering is an event where attendance is generally expected to include a significant number of individuals from various sectors, often including both public and private entities. These gatherings can encompass conferences, seminars, workshops, and social events that are open to a broad audience. Within the context of the Department of Defense, such events may involve discussions on policy, technology, and collaboration with non-federal entities.

For members of the DoD, it is essential to assess the nature of these events before accepting invitations. Non-federal entities are required to provide specific information about their gatherings to ensure compliance with ethical standards and regulations set forth by the DoD. This includes details such as the event's purpose, agenda, and funding sources. The rationale behind this requirement is to prevent any potential conflicts of interest and to maintain transparency in interactions between government employees and private organizations.

Understanding the guidelines surrounding widely attended gatherings helps to ensure that DoD personnel engage in events that align with their ethical obligations while fostering constructive partnerships with external organizations.

The Department of Defense Standards of Conduct Office regularly receives requests from non-Federal entities (e.g., defense contractors, professional associations, charities) for blanket WAG determinations, to permit DoD personnel to accept the gift of free attendance at an upcoming event (e.g., gala, award ceremony, round table, luncheon).

The Department of Defense Standards of Conduct Office regularly receives requests from non-Federal entities (e.g., defense contractors, professional associations, charities) for blanket WAG determinations, to permit DoD personnel to accept the gift of free attendance at an upcoming event (e.g., gala, award ceremony, round table, luncheon).

Department of Defense Standards of Conduct Office instituted a policy to no longer provide blanket WAG determinations for most events.

See http://www.dod.mil/dodgc/defense_ethics/2008_Advisories/ADV_0808.htm.

Instructions:

  • You cannot save information on the form and come back to it later. Allow yourself 15 minutes to complete.
  • Submitting this request constitutes that you have read, understand, and agree to the following.
  1. This form should be submitted not less than 45 days in advance of a scheduled program. Final determination will occur no earlier than 90 days in advance. Please realize that all Armed Forces units have specific military missions and training requirements. Attendance in public programs will only be authorized when such support is in the best interests of the DoD and the Military Services and does not interfere with mission or training programs. In all cases, operational commitments must take priority and can cause previously scheduled appearances to be cancelled.
  2. Submitting this request does not guarantee attendance.
  3. In order to be processed, I must answer each question on this form. I understand that my request will not be processed until each question is answered. Unanswered questions will result in a delay and are subject to unavailability.
  4. I will spell out each acronym.
  5. DoD attendance is subject to last-minute cancellation due to mission requirements with little-or- no notice. A back-up plan is recommended.
  6. I certify I am 18 years old or older.
  7. I am acting on behalf of the requesting organization and certify that the information provided is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that representatives from the military services will contact me to discuss arrangements and costs involved prior to final commitments, or to inform me of their inability to attend this event. I also understand that operational commitments must take priority and can preclude a scheduled appearance at an approved public activity.
  8. The appropriate DoD Ethics Officials must make a decision for respective Service or DoD Agency clients/invitees. To expedite this process, however, we recommend that any request for a WAG determination to any DoD entity provide the following information:

WAG

 

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